Cris Baruso is the newest member of the KPS Health Plans executive team according to an announcement made by KPS Health Plans President Elizabeth Gilje.

Baruso, a health insurance veteran with an extensive background in compliance and policy development, will serve as compliance officer and director of contracts and compliance.

Gilje said that as compliance officer Baruso will be responsible for the insurer staying in compliance with all laws and mandates and will serve as the company’s chief liaison with government agencies, including those dealing with proposed health-care legislation. Baruso will also develop and maintain the company policies and procedures needed for an effective corporate compliance program and will oversee contract administration for individual, group and public-employee programs.

Baruso brings more than 21 years of management-level experience in the health-care industry to KPS, starting at Washington Physician Service (WPS) and serving 11 years as Vice President of Administrative Services. She also worked for Raleigh, Schwartz & Powell, a benefits brokerage and consulting firm, the City of Seattle, and Unified Physicians of Washington.

She later joined the Office of the Insurance Commissioner, where she worked with KPS Health Plans as part of the receiver team appointed to oversee its operations and put the carrier back on its feet under a court-approved rehabilitation plan. The plan enabled KPS to move its quarterly finances into the black, ending four straight years of losses.